Review: Derek Klena Brings Broadway Dad Energy at Sony Hall

On July 12, Broadway star Derek Klena returned to the cabaret stage with a solo concert at Sony Hall. Mixing personal stories, Broadway hits, and truly chaotic (in the best way) mashups, Klena delivered a show that leaned into who he is right now: a new dad, a seasoned leading man, and someone who doesn’t take himself too seriously.

He opened with “Love Like This” by Ben Rector, a warm and sincere choice that set the tone for the night. From there, the night quickly became about fatherhood, something Klena clearly held close. He talked about his sons Dax and Otto, and how much music has become part of their lives. Dax in particular already shows a strong connection to music, which led Klena to create a mashup of some of his favorite songs to sing to them at night. Titled “Dear Daxodosia”, the medley wove together “Sweet Child O’ Mine,” “Dear Theodosia,” “Your Song,” and “Come What May” into something deeply personal. 

Then came a stretch of the night dedicated to the shows that helped define his career. Klena kicked off the theatrical portion of the evening with “Dancing Through Life” from Wicked, where he played Fiyero. He followed that up with a clever mashup that brought together two of his earlier meaningful pieces from Carrie and Jagged Little Pill, showing off a different kind of emotional range. “Come Back” from Dogfight came next, delivered with a strong mix of vulnerability and power, and then he pivoted into two songs from Anastasia, leaning into the sweeping musical romance that fans have come to associate with his voice.

Roughly halfway through the set, he welcomed a special guest, Ashley Loren, his former Moulin Rouge! co-star. They performed a heartfelt duet of “She Used to Be Mine” from Waitress, a surprising pick that turned out to be one of the best numbers of the night. Their voices blended beautifully. Due to scheduling conflicts they never got the opportunity to practice together before the show, but their chemistry showed they didn't need rehearsal to make an amazing performance together. The moment became even sweeter when the audience sang “Happy Birthday” to Loren, who was celebrating that night.

And then came the most unexpected combination of songs you could expect. A mashup titled “Dax 2.0”, made entirely of songs from his son’s current playlist, had the crowd cracking up from the first beat. The mashup included “Jack’s Lament” (The Nightmare Before Christmas), “Wrapped Around Your Finger” by Post Malone, “Murder on the Dancefloor,” “Hey Brother” by Avicii, and “Pink” from Barbie. The arrangement somehow worked, moving seamlessly between genres, it was weird, hilarious, and absolutely memorable.

Toward the end of the night, Klena pulled off a “Moulin Rouge speedrun,” a five-minute medley that crammed in almost every major song from the musical. You could tell how much the role meant to him, and this was his way of giving the audience one last look at what that experience was like, just jammed into five high-energy minutes.

Though he bowed and left the stage, the crowd wasn’t ready to say goodbye. He returned for one final encore: “I’m Just Ken” from Barbie. It was big, it was silly, it was fully committed, and it summed up the whole night. Derek Klena showed up as a father, a performer, and a fan of the absurd, and let all of that shine onstage.

 

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